The Alice Stone
by mikancchi
Summary: HIATUS. Hotaru suddenly transfers to England,leaving Mikan devastated.She visits for the summer holidays, but she has to leave again.What does Mikan do?Follow Hotaru!Unknowingly, stepping into a world of magic and alices.
1. Prologue

**THE ALICE STONE**

**Prologue: The Prophecy**

Full summary: Hotaru suddenly decideds to move away to England to transfer to a new school. Mikan is devastated by the news. She does not reply to her letters. Yet one day, Hotaru comes back due to her summer vacation, making Mikan overjoyed. However, it is soon time to part. As Hotaru is leaving for England in the car, Mikan follows her. And she finds herself somehow landed in England! Which is where she first encounters with a teacher of the school who tells her everything about Alices and magic...which is where she is accepted, the Hogwarts Academy for Alice Retaining Sorcerers.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Gakuen Alice solely belongs to their respective authors, J. K. Rowling and Tachibana Higuchi.

* * *

**The Prophecy**

It was a dark night, with the star Sirius shining brightly in the sky. All seemed quiet under the starry sky.

One window on one of the high towers of the castle showed that the inside was brightly lit. The fire was roaring in its place and the candles in the lanterns were burning profusely.

The flames flickered.

Professor Yukihara and his deputy headmistress were sitting, back to the window. They were facing a shaking woman. She seemed to be acting strangely, as if she was having a fit. Her eyes were rolled back, as if she was seeing something unseen. She then started speaking, speaking in harsh, hoarse tones very much unlike her usual self.

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Sight approaches..._

_Born to those who were fated to defy Him..._

_Born to those intertwined because of Him..._

_Born as the first month begins..._

_The Dark Sight seeks her for his own needs,_

_But the other will have a heritage to his advantage..._

_And either must change at the hand of the other..._

_For neither side can live while the other remains..._

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Sight will be born with the first month..."_

And the shaking stopped. Trelawney slumped, unconcious in her chair.

Yukihara stayed motionless. McGonagall clutched her chest, shuddering. It was an ominous prophecy...so much like the one made thirty-seven years ago.

She gave a mental shake and regained her composure quickly.

"We better inform Potter. This is a prophecy not unlike his."

Their eyes held in mutual agreement. Yukihara drew out a piece of parchment and dipped his quill into the ink.

Moments later, an owl was heard flapping its wings in the distance.

They did not notice the footsteps quickly disappearing behind the door of the office.

* * *

A figure hurried down the corridor. He stopped in front of a door and knocked.

"Come in," said a man's voice.

The person went inside and bowed. "Principal Kuonji."

The man looked up from his papers. "Luna. What buisness brings you here?"

The figure was a girl -no older than seventeen- with short brown hair. "Principal...its Trelawney. She has made a-a prophecy."

She now had the man's full attention. His eyebrows went up. "And?"

She closed her eyes, concentrating, and a silvery mist started to appear from her temple on her head. She raised her wand, where the silvery mist attatched itself. Then, the substance made its way to a large bowl on one of the cabinets to where she pointed her wand.

Kuonji stood up and walked to the bowl. He stared intensely into the silvery substance, his cold eyes illuminated by the reflection. After a few minutes, he closed his eyes.

"Good job Luna. Come back later, I will have a new mission for you."

Luna grinned, happy that she was complimented. She bowed and exited, closing the door behind her.

The man sat in his chairs, deeply in thought. He frowned. He vaguely understood what the prophecy had meant...The ones who oppose...who could they be...Unless-

His eyes widened. His mouth formed a tight smile. Yes...if it was _him..._

He stood up. It was time to get rid of him anyway...HE was interfering with everything...

He smiled coldly. How convenient.

* * *

**End of Prologue**

A/N:

Hi everyone! Alice Stone was recently on the joint account **Mikandragonclouds**, but I moved it to my account. GoldenDragonClouds is the beta reader!

Anyway, this is a Gakuen Alice and Harry Potter crossover!

Read and review!

Of course, our favourite characters Mikan, Natsume, Hotaru, Ruka, and the rest of the Gakuen Alice community will show up here.

The Harry Potter characters will be from the second generation, the children. Ex. James Potter, Lily Potter, Albus Potter, Rose Weasley, Hugo Weasely, Teddy Lupin...and so on

* * *

**Next chapter: **

_Many years later after the prophecy has been made..._

Hotaru read the letter she had recieved from the owl...

_Dear Ms. Imai, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted..._

_Hotaru! What! You can't be moving to England!_


	2. The Letter

**THE ALICE STONE**

**Chapter 1: The Letter**

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Gakuen Alice solely belongs to their respective authors.

* * *

Hogwarts Academy  
_for_  
Alice Retaining Sorcers

Headmaster: Kazu Yukihara  
_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Trusted Twighitt, International Confederation of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Hotaru Imai,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted  
at Hogwarts Academy for Alice Retaining Sorcerers. Please find  
enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by  
no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress.

Hotaru's eyes glinted as she gazed impassively at the fancy lettering in front of her once more. Her parents should have known, running away was useless. She was a sorceress, just like her brother before her. She let her mind wander off...

To her brother, whom she had never seen in anything other than pictures. To her parents, who would miss her terribly if she left. To her only friend Mikan Sakura...

Who was in fact running towards her right now.

"Hoootaruuuuuuuu!!!" wailed Mikan, running towards the young genius sorceress. Of all the kids in this small countryside town in Japan, she was the only one permitted to call Hotaru by her first name. And yet, Hotaru hated being glomped.

"Baka! Baka! Baka!"

The infamous Baka Gun Hotaru had devised last year finally made its appearance. Mikan fell to the floor headfirst. She sat up quickly, bottom lip trembling, clutching her head.

"Hotaru! You SAID we would go to the same school, and yet.....and still...WHY ARE YOU MOVING TO ENGLAND!" she burst into tears. Hotaru was unmoved by this rather outlandish display of emotion. Her face had no emtion at all.

"Who told you?" she asked, then said promptly, "Stop crying. You look much uglier when you cry." Mikan sniffed.

"Anata no otou-san." she answered. "Hotaruuuuuuu!" she wailed once more, and tried to hug her cold friend again.

"Baka! Baka! Baka!"

Mikan landed on the floor, and went immediately back to sobbing mode after she regained from shock.

Then she walked away, muttering, "Baka oyaji." Her expression, however, changed as she considered ways to blackmail her own family. Eyes glinting, she set off to her house.

* * *

Mikan was crying as she burst into her home. Her grandfather, surprised, looked up from his newspaper. However, before anything could be said, something else happened.

Not being able to see through her tears added to her natural clumsiness, and thus, Mikan tripped over a vase... and broke it.

Thousands of tiny china pieces soon littered the floor.

Mikan giggled nervously, sweat dropping. She blushed. "Haha..."

Her grandfather soon became scarlet as well, but for a different reason.

Needless to say, a shouting fest soon followed.

* * *

Mikan awoke the next morning with something very hard and cold on her face. She threw it off, her eyes blinking bearily.

She sighed. Hotaru would leave today, so she wanted to spend the full of the day with her. And then she noticed what she had just thrown.

A wind-up toy turtle. More specifically, Hotaru's wind-up Tortoise Mail prototype. The turtle, which was trying to flip over to its stomach, had something in its mouth. A letter. A second letter from Hotaru.

Mikan sized it right away and skimmed the contents, reading aloud bits of it.

"Leaving... seven thirty... front of my house... come... WAIT A MINUTE!"

Mikan ran over to her alarm clock. Her sleepy eyes snapped wide awake as she gasped. It was already seven twenty-five!!

"AHHHH!" she shouted as she ran around the room pulling on clothes with other items flying around the room.

Her grandfather watched on from a distance, sweat dropping.

* * *

(At the Imai residence)

Hotaru's eyes scanned the crowd that had gathered around the limousine parked in front of her house. There were excited murmurs when a man, clad in a black suit with sunglasses, stepped out and opened the back door for Hotaru, who was still looking at the crowd.

But there was no sign of the hyper, childish brunette.

Hotaru looked over the crowd again.

Then she was about to climb into the car when-

"Hotaru!" The said brunette cried, running as fast as she could, her pigtails flying behind her.

Hotaru eyebrows inched up a fraction, and she turned around slowly. Mikan, with tears streaming down her face and a bit of snot escaping her nose dashed into a stop in front of her.

"Hotaru!" shouted Mikan, a vein popping on her face as she jumped and _tried_ to kand a kick on her.

_SWAT!_ Out came the enormous fly swatter. Hotaru mentally thought, _Sixty-one wins, 0 defeat_.

Mikan, completely unfazed as if this was a normal routine, shot back onto her feet. She waved the letter she was clutching and waving wildly in front of her friend's poker face. "YOU BIG FOOLISH MORON! HOW COULD YOU SEND A LETTER SO IMPORTANT WITH TORTOISE MAIL! I GOT THE LETTER BARELY-" she checked her watch, "- THREE MINUTES AGO!"

"That's because I knew you would make a huge racket." Hotaru replied calmly.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING BEFOREHAND!" shouted Mikan furiously. "Hotaru..."sobbed Mikan. There was nothing but silence, occasionally interrupted with Mikan's snifflings.

Hotaru gave a small enough sigh that could be unnoticed by anyone. "Silly Mikan. You don't have to cry like this. You look much uglier when you cry." She poked Mikan's swollen face, dirtied with tears. "I will be back for vacations and we can write letters."

"Ano- but- but" sniffled Mikan.

"Let go of me now," said Hotaru, motioning her hand to Mikan's fist on her coat. She said, "Stop crying. She patted Mikan on the head. Then, she turned and climbed inside the car.

Mikan was still crying as she waved goodbye. Hotaru just held up her hand, her eyes set. The whole village shouted goodbyes and good lucks.

The car started to slowly go, off to the horizon. There was silence as everybody watched the car leave.

"You have to write Hotaru!" wailed the crying girl to the disappearing car.

"Are you sure she'll be alright?" asked the driver of the car, his eyes focused on the road.

"Yes. She is Mikan after all." replied Hotaru, then all was silent on the road.

Nobody dared to ask the cool facade girl, even if she was only eleven years old. (A/N: I think Harry was eleven when he first entered Hogwarts..)

Few dull thunks were heard. Raindrops. Suddenly, it became a downpour. Such a fitting weather for a gloomy day.

And in the blink of an eye, the car had disappeared. There was nothing on the road except for the puddles of water that the rain was accumulating.

* * *

After three months, Mikan had recieved one short letter from Hotaru.

It stated that she wanted Mikan to send her some watermelons.

Mikan lay in a pool of tears (as she had wrote to her everyday) while her grandpa had commented, "Hmm...Hotaru-kun is getting a bit lazy..." stroking his mini beard.

Mikan spent the rest of the year depressed. She would not pay attention in class and socialize with her other friends. She would cry in her room before sleeping. On her birthday, Mikan cried. She used to celebrate with Hotaru, the new year and her birthday in one, eating cake together at Hotaru's house and having snowball fights. They had always been together after Hotaru had moved into the village.

_Liar,_ thought Mikan. _You said you will visit during vacation...What was I to you? I considered you as my best friend...Was it so easy to cut me off from your life?_

She entered middle school in the spring, when the Sakura trees were in full bloom. Usually, she would be ranting about their beauty and their connection to her surname. But she wasn't. Sometimes she would mutter, "Hotaru, you heartless brat..."

And then, out of the blue, Hotaru came to visit.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 1**

GoldenDragonClouds: Well, sorry for the bit of OCness at the end I just HAD to put in a depressed Mikan for once.

Mikancchi: Of course you just HAD TO, baka.

GoldenDragonClouds: XD don't mind her. She's always like that.

Mikancchi: Hmph excuse me -being the joint author gives me the right and authority to express my opinions, and i just didn't think that it was appropriate that Mikan was so out of character because the whole point of a fanfiction is to incorporate the characters into one's one plot and story, and even if the characters' personality changed, there should be a clear and length explanation-

GoldenDragonClouds: OK WHATEVER

Mikancchi: Ptah you poo! Don't interrupt my speech!

GoldenDragonClouds: *sigh*. Well, please read and review again everyone!

**Next chapter:**

Mikan and Hotaru meet again, much to the delight of the first. But...

_What exactly are you doing here, James Sirius Potter?_


	3. Hotaru's Return

**THE ALICE STONE**

**Chapter 2: Hotaru's Return**

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Gakuen Alice solely belongs to their respective authors, J. K. Rowling and Tachibana Higuchi.

* * *

Mikan's heart sped up as she packed her schoolbag, shoving in her things mindlessly. She furrowed her eyebrows. The classroom was noisy but she couldn't hear anything.

There was one particular point of the day that kept replaying in her mind.

_Flashback_

"Ne, ne, minna-san! Did you hear?" gushed one of her classmates.

_Her name is... Aya... Aya-something._ Mikan subconsciously thought.

"Stop stalling and just spit it out Ayane," said another classmate.

_Oh. Her name's Ayane. _Mikan twirled her pencil around between her fingers, uninterested.

"Imai... Imai-san's coming back to visit!" Ayane squealed, and rather loudly.

The classroom's momentum had momentarily stopped as all the students registered the information and threw glances at Mikan.

There seemed to be no outlandish reaction, as they all watched her back. Everyone gave a sigh of relief and the conversation was re-enlighted.

In truth, Mikan's eyes were wide and her hands were shaking.

"Yes, I heard that Imai-san's school has a different system!"

"So she's taking summer vacation two weeks before ours even starts? She's lucky to be in that school."

"And I heard that they have really fast private jets just to escort the international students all around the world!"

Gasps were heard around the room at this statement.

"Yeah, I heard that it was a school for geniuses only, and instead of the parents paying, the school is funded by the governments of the different countries these geniuses are from!" said another classmate named Hoshi.

Even more gasps, and a startled look came upon Mikan's face. Her eyebrows went up. She could not hide her shock this time, as she remembered what Hotaru had said to her once, "Money is everything." Had her friend abandoned her for the money involved?

What came next broke through the next layer.

"A... ano... I heard,... I heard that...." a shy voice was heard.

"Oi, Hoshiko-chan, what did you hear?" Even Mikan shifted a little to get a better hearing range.

Hoshiko took in a deep breath, then let it all out.

"I... heardthatImaisan'sschooldoesnotallowfirsttimeschoolerssendlettersorvisitanyonebutfamilyand-" she took another deep breath- "allotherlettersarecensored."

That left her gasping for breath while the room fell silent once more. Mikan's eyes were wide.

_H...honto??? (A/N: really) _thought Mikan. She was so surprised, it seemed, that she did not even have the energy to shout it out like she normally did.

_So that's the reason of no proper letters..._ she thought. But another thought came to her soon after. _But wait, if Hotaru could come here to visit, she could write better letters as well!_ _Or maybe explain! _

She was instantly filled with fury. At that moment, the door to the classroom slid open.

The teacher blinked as she stepped into the room filled with a dark killer intent. Sweat dropping and nervous, she stepped into the room carefully. Carefully approaching the source of the dark aura emition, she handed Mikan a folded piece of paper.

"It's from your grandfather," she said.

_Mikan,_ it said, _Hotaru-chan is over at our house with her parents. She will be staying here for three weeks then tour Japan for the rest of her vacation before visiting our town once more and then going back to England to go to school. Come home to greet her as soon as school is over. _

_Grandpa._

Mikan looked up from the letter with even wider (if possible) eyes. She then smiled a real wide smile, one that reached her eyes, which shocked the teacher.

Mikan had not smiled once since Hotaru left the village.

_End Flashback_

Mikan had smiled then. After the rethinking while walking home, she just grimaced. How was she going to greet this friend that had neglected her for the last full year? While she was thinking all that she had arrived at her home.

_I will treat her the same,_ she thought determinedly as she reached the gates to her house, took off her shoes, and headed towards the living room to greet her grandfather, her feet padding on the wooden tattami mats.

Her resolve, not even strong in the first place, melted immediately as she saw the raven haired girl seated at the table with three adults.

Mikan's pseudo-cold eyes stared at the girl. However, that only lasted one second. Her eyes then started regained its sparkle as they became wide and round. Tears started to form in her eyes. "Hotaru...."she whispered.

Hotaru looked at her. All was silent. And then she said, "What are you waiting for?"

Mikan sniffed. _To the hell with acting cold_.

"Hotaruuuuu!!!!" She lunged for her long not-seen best friend.

At this, Hotaru's usually impassive eyes glinted, and she swiftly pulled out... the Baka Gun 6.3, upgraded during her time at Alice Hogwarts' Academy.

"Baka!Baka!Baka!"

The smoke cleared to show Mikan slumped on the floor with a bump on her head and Hotaru brandishing her precious gun, blowing off the steam at the end. Mikan's grandfather and Hotaru's parents sweatdropped. Hotaru smiled ever so slightly.

"You haven't changed at all," she said as she lowered her gun.

Mikan looked at Hotaru with teary eyes, clutching her head. As if this was a cue, one of Mikan's veins popped up on her forehead.

"HOTARU! YOU COLD-HEARTED BRAT! HOW COULD YOU NOT SEND ME ANY PROPER LETTERS! WHEN I WROTE TO YOU EVERY DAY! AND YOU DIDN'T COME VISIT FOR WINTER VACATION! YOU- you...you liar!" she sobbed at the end.

Hotaru looked at the crying Mikan. And patted her on the head. Mikan felt more tears coming to her eyes at this gesture. She wrapped her arms around her best friend for a hug. Hotaru merely sighed softly.

"Ne, ne, its been soo long since I've seen you!" Mikan then gave Hotaru a general look-over.

Hotaru had grown taller. Her hairstyle was still short as ever, but her face was less round, her facial features more prominent. She looked older than her actual twelve years.

But she was still Hotaru that she had grown up with and loved.

"Wah!!!" Mikan exclaimed. "You changed so much!" She tried to land a bear hug on her friend. And suceeded.

Hotaru stared at her for only a moment before pushing her off.

"Same to you... baka."

"Baka!Baka!Baka!"

The adults chuckled. Everything would be just fine. They left the two girls alone in the room to catch up on things, but not before telling them that Hotaru would be sleeping over at Mikan's.

"Yay!" shouted Mikan as she dragged a disgruntled Hotaru to her room upstairs.

It was surprising how much energy she had left even after withstanding the improved Baka Gun. Hotaru remained impassive as she let the hyper brunette drag her to whever she was going, but inwardly, she sighed. She had missed Mikan alright, but this summer... was going to be a long one indeed. Then, when she made sure Mikan was too busy pulling her upstairs to notice anything, she really smiled.

'But it'll be fun.' she thought, her eyes glinting, as she took out her new invention- the Baka Horseshoe.

Mikan's cries of pain filled the village and echoed in the moutains.

* * *

Hotaru was dreaming about a mechanical robot land where millions of robots that had brown hair tied in pigtails and orange jeweled eyes were bowing down to her,offering plates of crabs and mussels as a gift, complete with a jar of crab brains for desert -when she was shaken awake from her utopia.

"Hotaru..." She distantly heard. She instinctively groaned.

"Ne, ne, Hotaru, what shall we do today?"

Mikan was already wide awake, at current five thirty in the morning, her face alight with happiness. Usually she would be fast asleep at this hour, but the mere thought of spending time with her best friend had woken her up. Beside her was a very displeased Hotaru.

Hotaru had a very annoyed face. Sleep bubbles were popping around her.

"Mikan, you owe me twelve galleons for this..." she grumbled as she dozed in and out of conciousness.

"Huh? What? Gal-ee-onnes? What's that? And for what?" piped up the already hyper girl's voice. Mikan tilted her head to one size to add effect.

Hotaru couldn't believe her luck. She was shaken awoke at five thirty, just to find out it was Mikan, and now the same brunette was trying to make plans for the day, _at dawn._ Not to mention that Hotaru had let the word "galleons" slip.

She made silent calculations in her head.

"Just pay me twelve hundred yen later. And let me go back to sleep." she muttered, hoping Mikan would get the message.

Unfortunately for Hotaru, unlike most her friends at her current school, Mikan was an extremely dense person.

"Ehh???? How can I pay you such a big sum of money! And no you cannot go back to sleep! How can you even think of going back to sleep when you have a full day ahead of you to spend with your bestest friend in the world?" Mikan pouted. "Unless you have other plans... with other friends..." Her eyes began to tear up, her bottom lip quivering adding to the effect.

Hotaru sighed inwardly. This meant she had to get up before Mikan burst into tears.

"Mikan," she said finally, startling the girl. "I do not have plans with other friends. And we don't have just one day, we have full three weeks."

Mikan instantly became cheery again.

"You're right! Now what to you want to do this morning? We could watch these videos like before, or read these books, or go to this temple to write wishes, or, oh, oh, we could..."

Hotaru instantly regretted what she said. She reached for her always near invention that seemed so handy these days.

"Baka!Baka!Baka!"

The sound woke up Mikan's grandfather.

To use the Baka Gun, and so early in the morning! He just groaned, turned over, and went back to sleep.

Meanwhile Mikan was becoming teary-eyed again.

"Mikan," Hotaru said, trying to think of the right words this time. "It's great that you're trying to be a good friend, but right now... right now..." Hotaru gave up the plan of going back to sleep. "We need to eat breakfast first."

Mikan stood up, fist clenched in front of her with a folded arm. Her determined eyes sparked in a way that made Hotaru sweatdrop.

"Yes!" she said, "we shall do this all later, after we gain all our necessary energy from the nutrients from the food that we eat!"

Hotaru stared. "Where and how did you ever learn that?" she asked.

"Well, at school duh, we all learn this. Did you not know? But how could you not know when you are a genius? And... HEY!" Mikan finally realized that Hotaru was insulting her.

Hotaru smirked. "Just get breakfast, Mikan."

"HAI!!!" shouted Mikan, and marched toward the kitchen. She promptly came back. "Wait Hotaru, what do you want? We have eggs, rice, soup, porridge, or maybe you could have leftover takoyaki or onnigiri, or-"

_SWAT! _Out came the fly swatter that was seen in the beginning of the story.

Mikan never got to finish her sentence.

"Just go get anything, baka."

Pouting, Mikan picked herself up and ran to get breakfast.

Hotaru sighed. This summer was really going to be long.

Meanwhile, Mikan's grandfather had woken up again. He groaned. He was going to need to soundproof this place if he wanted to ever sleep in peace. Those two girls made too big of a racket when placed together in one place.

"HOTARU IMAI IS THAT YOU????," a voice shouted over the telephone. Hotaru's mother nearly dropped the phone and said, "Hai? Iie, wotashi..." Then she realized this person was speaking in English. She promptly switched the language.

"No, this is Mrs. Imai, Hotaru's mother. Can you please stop shouting?"

It seemed that Hotaru had inherited her prompt frankness from her mother. After all, Mrs. Imai was scary when she was mad.

"Oh." The voice said, sounding a bit disappointed. The sound of the phone being shifted into different hands was heard over the line.

"Hello Mrs. Imai," This time it was a woman's voice, she gathered. _Much more pleasant, _she thought.

"Hello, yes, who is this?" Hotaru's mom asked in slightly broken English.

"Oh, I'm Mrs. Potter, James's mum, he's one of Hotaru's friends." The pleasant woman answered. "Please call me Ginny."

Hotaru's mom was surprised at the intimacy between the Westerners all the time. She supposed that she would have to get used to it.

"Um, yes, Ginny? Why was your... son? Calling?" She wished she could speak better English.

_Maybe I should get Hotaru to build me a translator,'_she thought. She realized however that her daughter would make charge her for it for a hefty sum without any discount. She winced at the thought. She wondered where her daughter's sudden obsession with money came from.

"Oh," said Ginny, "I think my son's taken a liking to her-" muffled protests were heard on the other end as she said this, "-and I was wondering if she wanted to spend time with us over the summer. It would help her to learn more about our world, I think."

Hotaru's mom liked this woman. Maybe she could meet her sometime in person.

Or maybe now. She smiled.

"Uh... Gee-nee-san?"

"Yes, Mrs. Imai?"

"Is it possible for you to... teleport? To here now?"

"Oh of course! Do you have a fireplace?

"Ah? Um, yes-"

"Oh, then please wait a second!"

Hotaru's mom waited for a response.. And waited. And waited.

"Uh... Gee-nee-san?"

She stood confused for a minute when she heard the call end with the loud, annoying _beep beep beep. _She felt confused. Then she gave a little shriek as the fire in the fireplace became huge, roaring and green. Then, a _person _came out of the fire. She had long, dark read hair. Next came a man with jet black hair and glasses, with a weird lightening shaped scar in his forward. After came three children, one after the another. Two had black hair like the man and the little girl had short, aburn hair. As they straightened up, they dusted their shoulders of ash onto the carpet. Behind them the fire had returned to its original state.

"Hello," said the man, stretching out his hand.

"Harry! Use a language charm to speak Japanese! We aren't in England. I'm sure Ms. Imai would prefer that." Still in English, but this time it was Ginny (she assumed, as she was the only woman).

"Can't, need an alice stone to do that mum, remember?" It was the boy on the phone.

"Welcome," she said in her best English, startling the man and children. "Welcome to Japan and my house. Would you like something to drink? Some tea, perhaps?"

"Yes, please, Mrs. Imai." the children chorused, and they filed into the living room.

"By the way," Ginny said, "You haven't told me what to call you yet."

Hotaru's mom was taken aback by this statement. But just a while. Well, her daughter would need to go to a western school for seven years.

Might as well adjust to their customs from now on.

"Call me Kyoko."

* * *

Hotaru was very annoyed, perhaps for the fiftieth time today. Her mother had just called her to tell her that _Potter_, of all families, had just turned up at her house using the Floo Network.

"Hotaru, why can't I go over to your house with you?" whined Mikan, practically clutching her leg.

"Because I want to get some fresh air while I go get some things, and having you around would give me a headache."

Hotaru's frankness strikes again. Mikan was wilting on the floor.

"But..." Mikan tried to persuade Hotaru.

"No. Besides, I'll be back soon."

Hotaru left the still wilting and dishearted Mikan alone in her house and walked briskly towards her house. Well, more like _drove _to her house on the duck scooter she hid at the back of Mikan's house.

After flying over a couple of roofes and turning her and there, she came to a stop. She dismounted her scooter, took off her helmet, and walked briskly into the house.

"What exactly are you doing here, James Sirius Potter?" Hotaru's voice was monotonous and smooth even while speaking in English. Her accent was American, despite having been going to school in England.

A British accent answered her.

"Well, well, if it isn't Hotaru Imai, genius of all kinds?"

They glared at each other, green meeting purple. An electric current seemed to be between those two.

Hotaru's mom came up behind James' mother. She had a bemused expression on her face.

"I thought they was friends, like you said, Gee-nee-san."

Ginny laughed. "That's normal, for them, I guess. I used to do that myself. Don't worry too much Kyoko. And please, drop the 'san' thing."

If Hotaru was not, well, Hotaru, she would have been standing there with her jaw on the ground. No one, ever, called her mother 'Kyoko' other than her father. She was starting to get really irritated, with the after effects of being woken up at dawn included.

"Okaa-san, why is Potter here? Not to mention his parents and siblings?"

"They were asking if you wanted to go over to their home and learn more about sorcery," her mother replied.

Hotaru's eyes seemed to get darker as if wondering if her mother was insane for considering such a proposal.

"Okaa-san, I'm staying here with Mikan until I need to go to Diagon Alley before school to get supplies. And even then a chauffeur is coming for me. I will not go to Potter's house. Oh, and cancel the all-around-Japan tour. I'm going back to Mikan's now. I will probably stay there the whole day." Hotaru grabbed a bag that contained her tools in the living room and left promptly.

There was an awkward silence at the prompt departure.

"I guess that didn't work then. I'm sorry James, try next time." Ginny teased her son.

James blushed red, even to his ears.

"It's not like that!"

Albus and Lilly started up a chant, "James likes Hotaru, James likes Hotaru-"

James merely stuttered and went to find his father who was admiring the Japanese traditional garden.

A few minutes later the Potters would be back at their home in Godric's Hollow, listening to Albus and Lilly tease James.

"JAMES LIKES HOTARU, JAMES LIKES HOTARU-"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 2**

GoldenDragonClouds: Okay, I know, it's OOC in the beginning. But the Mikan we love comes back! I just HAD to put in depressed Mikan somewhere. And the relationship between James and Hotaru? I support Hotaru x Ruka, BUT I'm leaning against it now, courtesy of Mikancchi. YES there will be Natsume x Mikan... after they meet each other I suppose... But only after... a few years-

Mikancchi: GDC! BE QUIET FOR GOODNESS' SAKES! YOU ARE GIVING AWAY TOO MUCH OF THE PLOT! I'M ALREADY IRRITATED WITH THE OOC! Btw everyone, I'm main-author-ing for chapters 4 and 5. *cackles evilly*

GoldenDragonClouds: ... (sweat drops) And anyways, R & R ppl!

Mikancchi: PLEASE REVIEW!

**Next chapter:**

_Hotaru! You can't leave already!_

_Yes I can, it's my school._

Mikan chased after the car...and grabs hold of the trunk. To her much unexpected surprise-

Read and find out!


	4. Good bye once more or is it?

****

THE ALICE STONE

**Chapter 3: Goodbye once more...or is it?**

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Gakuen Alice solely belongs to their respective authors, J. K. Rowling and Tachibana Higuchi.

* * *

"HOTARUUUU!" The brunette wailed once more clutching the irritated genius' leg.

"BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!" Veins throbbed on Hotaru's face as she held her cooling gun.

"But... But! You CAN'T GOOOOO!!!!!!!!DON'T LEAVE MEEEEE!!!!!!!"

Mikan lunged at Hotaru once more just to land on the ground, as the latter had sidestepped, being able to predict Mikan's movements.

"Yes I can, I need to go back to school," she said impassively. Hotaru would never allow anyone to see she would miss Mikan.

Mikan looked at her with teary eyes.

"Stop crying, you look uglier. I came back to visit, didn't I? I'll come back next time as well."

Hotaru climbed into the black limosine in front of her, and one of the professional looking person clad in a suit closed the door behind her. Another one was stowing the lumpy baggages into the trunk.

It closed with a dull 'THUNK'.

Hotaru waved a slight goodbye with her hand from her window, but was unseen by Mikan as the glass was one-sided.

"Hotaru..." sniffed Mikan.

Hotaru's car started to move, slowly at first but gaining speed.

Then Mikan did an utmost stupid thing. When she looked back on this event, she would not even know why she had done such a thing.

She ran after the car.

Years of running first place in the school marathons showed up. Mikan's legs caught up to the car, her twin pigtails streaming behind her.

Her feet pounded as she reached her hand out.

She clutched onto the trunk-handle and tried to run even faster when the car started to speed up to its maximum speed. She panted and huffed, not knowing what she wanted to do.

"Ho-Hotaru!" she wheezed.

She was not, however, ready for what would happen next.

The trunk flung open, and Mikan, still clutching onto the trunk handle, flung with it. Perhaps the breezy weather had caused this. Clutching the handle with her sweaty hands for dear life, she was too surprised to even think to scream.

* * *

(Inside the car)

Hotaru jostled a bit when she heard a gale and then the back of the car suddenly open in a frenzy.

"Why is the trunk open? Close it," commanded the bodyguard beside her.

"Yes sir." The man who replied snapped his fingers, using his alice.

Hotaru sighed. After living with nonalice people, she felt not adjusted to being back in their world. Her world. A world without Mikan...

She sighed again as the trunk came down with a THUNK.

* * *

Mikan was currently admist the darkness of the trunk. To her great fortune, the trunk had swung down by itself, and _yet again _flinging her down with it. She had landed amongst the baggages in the trunk. The trunk closed with a 'CLICK'.

Mikan breathed heavily, not quite sure about what had just taken place in the last thirty seconds. She stared at nothing in the darkness.

_EYAHHHHHH! WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WHY AM I IN A TRUNK?! _she mentally freaked out. Suddenly, the car lurched, causing Mikan to hit her head on top of her confined area. She fell on her back, with spiral eyes, and drifted out of conciousness...

_It was a snowy wintery day. A young woman with her hair flying around by the wind was bundled against the cold, hugged a small bundle to her chest. Her head was cradled against the bundle as she walked through the snow. The woman, who could not have passed for more than eighteen years old, was crying as she walked. _

_"I'm sorry Mikan...Sorry Mikan..." she sobbed as she hugged the bundle tighter to her body. A soft fuzz of brown hair peeped out of the white blankets. "I can't raise you..."_

_"I hope you will lead a happy life, away from the Academy....living an innocent life as a normal child..."_

Mikan blinked her eyes. She could not see anything in front of her.

She rubbed her eyes, and was surprised to find tears running down her face. For some reason, she felt very sad...

But most importantly, where was she? As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw the faint outlines of baggages clustered around her. Then the previous events hit her with full force.

_I'm in the trunk! _she thought frantically. She had absolutely no idea how much time had passed ever since she became unconcious.

Suddenly, she was jostled -with the rest of the items that occupied the space with her- back, squished to the trunk door. "What the-"

Then, as sudden as before, she was jostled back, being crushed by all the luggage.

_Ahh! The car must be going over hills! _thought an upside down Mikan she rolled forward, or whichever direction she was rolling towards to. What she didn't know was that the car was now going through the twists and turns and around the curves of a cobblestone street.

Mikan was thrown to the side along with the heavy baggages. And then to the other side. And again.

She was definately going to have purple bruises tomorrow.

At last, the car screeched into an halt, throwing Mikan one last time in the dark. A very bruised and sore brunette lay in a heap.

_Exactly where on Earth are we going to? I don't think to way to the airport contained any hills...._

Suddenly the trunk door opened, making Mikan squint her eyes due to the sudden sunshine.

"Mr. Corner!" came a voice. The man opening the trunk turned around, back towards the trunk.

He did not notice her...yet.

Mikan acted on impulse. She jumped and ran quickly as she could to the nearest tree. And she looked at her surroundings. _Huh?_

Mikan looked around her surroundings. A few tall buildings, cobblestone streets- there were no places like this near her town!

Wherever this was, Mikan didn't think she was in Japan anymore.

"Excuse me? Could you tell me where we are?" she asked a person walking by. He looked like a foreigner! Definately not Japanese! Mikan's eyes widened as she had a closer look.

He had BLUE eyes!

He spoke to her in a foreignish gabble and hurried on.

"Hello? Can anyone help me?" People avoided her. Mikan sighed, feeling dejected. Oh wait, Hotaru!

She ran back to where the car was. Or had been.

Mikan swung her head. Where did Hotaru go?

Mikan started to panic. She was lost in a weird place that looked nothing like Japan and people were speaking in gibberish. "Hello? Please help me!"

Everyone was avoiding her by now, wary of a strange child speaking a strange language.

"Someone help? Please?"

Then she started to cry.

* * *

Across the street a man dressed in a shirt -with buttons left opened at the top and bottom- and tight black pants watched amused. She didn't realize she was speaking Japanese in England, did she? Now, why was she here? She should be entering Diagon Alley by now if she was a sorceress, or an Alice holder more specifically. Narumi walked over to the girl.

"Hello little miss, what's your name?" He spoke fluent Japanese, of course. He was interested that his heritage can come into use at the weirdest moments of life.

"Umm... Huh?" The girl looked up at him. "You're talking to me? Yay! You're not avoiding me!"

"Of course everyone is avoiding you silly- you're speaking Japanese!" He tweaked her nose.

"Ahh?? What's wrong with Japanese?" She looked genuinely confused.

"Hmm... Don't you realize we're in England little missy?"

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, her face a picture of shock. "NA-NANI!" she stuttered.

Narumi frowned.

"You didn't know."

"N-no, I followed my friend and I got into the trunk and it was all bumpy and I thought I was gonna die and when I came out of the trunk I was here! And I was in Japan a few minutes ago! Or I think!" Mikan started to tear up once again. "Wahh! What's going on? Where am I?"

_SHe was obviously brought here by magical means_, he thought. He made a mental note to warn the agents to check the trunk before disapparating the car. Or perhaps she hit her head accidentally. "Can you see this pub?" asked Narumi, pointing at a small grubby pub in between two tall buildings.

Mikan sniffed and gazed at the direction he was pointing. "Yes of course, why do you ask?"

Narumi frowned. That definately did not jostle her memory. "Didn't you get your letter?"

"What letter?"

By now, Narumi was astounded. "How old are you?"

"Twelve, thirteen in January."

Narumi frowned again. This girl was obviously old enough to enter the school, so why didn't she get a letter?

"Well, follow me then." he said with a sudden gentle smile.

"Why?" she asked.

Narumi's face froze with the smile still on his face. He recovered quickly from his shock. "Eh? Eh... because I'm the only Japanese-speaker here and you're lost and I'm assuming you probably don't know English!" He winked at her.

"Ah! Will you help me? Really? Thank you so much! Can you help me find my friend then?" Mikan said ecstatically.

Narumi grinned a very wide smile. "Of course!"

Mikan grinned very widely right back at him and skipped away.

Anjo Narumi wondered what on earth was going on.

* * *

"Thank you for helping me search for my friend!" said Mikan, eating the chips that Narumi had just bought for her when he heard her stomach growl.

Narumi on the otherhand was not listening -he was dumbfounded. _I used my power three times -and she's totally uneffected? _He studied the girl who was chatting away happily about a 'Hotaru'. His eyes widened a fraction. _This girl..._

He kneeled down in front of her. "You... really want to meet this friend of yours that bad?"

"Yes, sir! I'll do anything from cleaning the toilet to running random errands!" she said as if she was talking to a commander in the military, saluting to him.

"Alright, would you like to try entering the same school as her then?"

"Yes sir!" There was a pause. "Huh?"

"I will help to let you enroll," he said. "Of course, I have to ask the headmaster first, but I think you'll be allowed to attend."

Mikan froze in shock, her hand halfway to her mouth holding a piece of potato chip.

Narumi smiled in amusement. _Oh, she flipped out._

Mikan suddenly unfroze and pinched her cheeks. And then blurted, "Don't lie!"

"I'm telling the truth!" he said grinning.

"But -but Hoshi said that the school was for geniuses only!" she said, "and I'm not a genius or anything!"

"Ah," said Narumi sensei. "Well, you can say that is a cover-up story for the school. The school is called Hogwarts Academy for Alice Retaining Sorcerers. Basically, it's a school for people who have an alice and has the potential to do magic. An alice is a natural-born power -it doesn't mean that someone is a genius. The academy takes in these people as students -it's a super elite school."

There was no response. Mikan wore an peculiar expression on her face -a mixture of shock, disbelief, and dumbfoundness. Her mouth was wide open as well as her eyes.

"Hoggy Academy for Ali Roaring Sausages?"

Narumi resisted an urge to laugh. "No, Hogwarts Academy for Alice Retaining Sorcerers." He wondered what his co-worker, Jinno, would say if he heard what she had just said.

Mikan dropped her bag of chips. There was a pregnant pause. "D-did-did...you-you say SORCERERS?! But...but that means magic people?" She narrowed her eyes. "You are a...a scammer!"

"Nope, I'm telling the truth!" said Narumi, sweatdropping. "You don't believe me? Guess I'll have to show you. Come here."

He pulled Mikan into an alleyway, took out a stick from his back pocket, and said "Lumos!" And...a green light erupted from the end of the stick!

"Eyahh!!!" screamed Mikan, back pedalling away from the lit stick. "What-what!" She rubbed her eyes frantically, not believing what she was seeing.

"This is one of the basic spells you learn when you enter," he said flicking the stick. The green light disappeared. He stuck the stick into his back pocket again, taking out a slip of paper at the same time. "Here's another proof."

It was a photograph. Except...the woman in the picture seemed to be _shouting at someone out of the frame and waving her arms to and fro._

Mikan froze for the umpteenth time. She stared at the picture. And stared. Narumi then took the picture back into his pocket. "So, Mikan-chan, do you believe me now?"

Mikan did not respond. He sighed and wheeled her out of the alleyway and in front of the pub that he pointed out in the beginning. "Alright, last proof. You see this pub, right?"

Mikan nodded.

"Well, look at the people around you."

Mikan looked. At first, nothing seemed to be wrong, until she _really _looked at them. For some reason, they all avoided looking at the pub. In fact, their eyes slid from the left tall building to the right tall building. It was as if-

"They can't see the pub -it's magically enchanted so non-magic users can see it."

Mikan was dumbfounded. She looked at the blonde teacher with a blank stare. He sighed. "Well, then was there anything peculiar about the friend of yours? Since by what you told me, she is a student of Hogwarts, which means that she is a sorceress."

Mikan thought back. Indeed. Hotaru was always inventing weird inventions all the time, like her baka swatter and baka gun. And she said that she had to move to England suddenly...which was where she was. _And_, thought Mikan, _I am in England for some reason that I do not comprehend -since I was in the trunk, it means she didn't take an aeroplane...Which is impossible unless magic was involved..._

Mikan closed her mouth. Narumi grinned. "Ok, you understand now, right? Now let's go into the pub so I can sort things out..."

He led Mikan into the mysterious pub. The sign hanging stated that it was called the Leaky Cauldron. "Hi Tom," he said to the bartender. Then he led her up the stairs, down the corridor, opened one of the many doors, and went into a room. Mikan plopped down on the faded sofa.

"Now let me send a message to the headmaster..." He took out a cellphone and started dialing. "I guess these devices can be very useful...Hello? Oh Professor Yukihara! This is Narumi, and I might have a person with me who has the abilities to attend Hogwarts...Yes I'm sorry to use this device instead of an owl but it's kind of urgent..."

Mikan was still recovering from her shock. _Magic, _she thought, _it actually exists...So, wait...I'm...I'M A SORCERESS?_

"Ah, Mikan would you stand still please?" Narumi quickly snapped a picture of her with his cellular device. "Here it is..."

Mikan was hyperventilating. She was a SORCERESS -she could use magic! That was...that was_ sugoi. _Plus, she was being accepted to the school, which means that she would not be seperated from Hotaru again! Wait...she was being accepted...right?

"Yes...yes...alright. Yes, her name is Mikan Sakura....yes...ok, I'll inform her. Yes....ok, good bye." He hung up.

Mikan looked up with sparkling hope. Narumi grinned at her. "Well, Mikan...as having the potential of being a sorceress...you also have an alice! You're accepted!"

"YAY!" cried out a joyful Mikan. "So I have the natural born power?"

"Yes! And so do I!" said Narumi. Mikan was very excited now. She grabbed Narumi and started to skip in circles. "What alice do you have? Show me show me!"

Narumi grinned. "Well, you're excitement is making it very hard to tell. I'll give you-"

KABOOM!

"-hint..." he trailed off. "Oh dear...I'll be back. Mikan, stay _right here _ok?" And he quickly disappeared out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

All of this took place too fast for Mikan to follow. When she got the hang of things, she ran to the window and looked outside. There seemed to have been a very big explosion -fire of some kind- and there were rubbles of bricks. It seemed no one was injured. Someone with a witch hat decorated with stars flourished a stick -and the rubbles _rose up went back into place_. A few seconds later, a brick wall was standing in place of the rubbles and the street looked like nothing had happened at all.

_Sugoi, _she thought. _Magic is so useful._

The door swung open.

"Alright! Buisness finished! Now let's go shopping -we don't have much time to lose!" said Narumi, looking a bit disheveled.

"Eto...ok!" she said, and followed him out the room.

Narumi glanced back at the girl trailing behind him and looked at the picture he had shown to her.

_They look...alike..._

_Is it really her?_

* * *

(At Hogwarts Academy)

Headmaster Kazu Yukihira was staring at the picture before him on the strange device that he did not really enjoy using. _Yuka..._

He sighed. "It seems," he said quietly to himself, "that fate has begun to turn its wheels..."

* * *

**End of Chapter 3**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!**

Here's a blurb:

GoldenDragonClouds: Well, here's the awaited chapter three! What the hell was that kaboom thing anyway Mikancchi-chan?

Mikancchi: Tell you later.

GoldenDragonClouds: This seems to be going well...

Mikancchi: Really...remind me why we started this again? I should be studying right now -_again- _and try to deplete my mountain of homework, and I don't have time and I want to sleep but I can't and I'm motivated to write this and-and-

(silence)

GoldenDragonClouds: Right. Please ignore her; she's a bit weird due to her lack of sleep. ...Baka! WAKE UP!!!!!

Mikancchi: *wakes up* Huh? Huh?

GoldenDragonClouds: I would like to remind Naruto fans to read my story... hehehe... Mikancchi-chan's mad because I pay more attention to my own work than our collab-

Mikancchi: *snort* collab indeed, are you even working on this-

GoldenDragonClouds: -Anyway, read and review people!

Mikancchi: Yes, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give reviews! I need some reviews to encourage me to write...so far, there had been only two...which is really depressing T_T *sob*

GoldenDragonClouds: Right. She's a bit mad, depressed, and stressed. ...And she's gone back to sleep again. Anyways -

Mikancchi: **PLEASE REVIEW**! *drops dead on the floor*

Yes please review for this story! Tell us how it is, some feedback, constructive criticism, or just tell us that YOU LOVE IT!

thx!

And don't forget to read some of my other stories: Cinderella, Fuki Enro, Once Upon a Time, and Reminiscence!

**rEvIeW!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!**

* * *

**Next chapter:**

It's shopping time! Mikan and Narumi goes to Diagon Alley!

Guess who she meets in Madam Malkin's shop!


	5. Diagon Alley

**Chapter 4: Diagon Alley**

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Gakuen Alice solely belongs to their respective authors, J. K. Rowling and Tachibana Higuchi.

* * *

"Where are we going?" asked Mikan, jogging to catch up to Narumi's long strides as they went down the stairs and through the tables and people towards the back door of the Leaky Cauldron.

"We need to get you your stuff for school, of course! You need to buy the required items. And where is that owl..." muttered Narumi as he opened the door. A soft hoot greeted them almost immediately on the other side, the tawny small bird face to face with Mikan.

"HOE!!!!" Shocked, Mikan landed on her behind. "Oof..."she said, rubbing her bottom. She looked up to see Narumi untie an envelop from the strange (as she has never seen one before) bird's_...outstretched _leg_._

_"_Finally! I was thinking that they thought I memorized the list of requirements...Well, here you go Mikan! This is the official proof that you have been admitted to Alice Hogwarts Academy for Sorcerers!" Narumi handed an envelope, addressed to Mikan with green ink. Mikan, curious, opened the envelope, and read:

Hogwarts Academy  
_for_  
Alice Retaining Sorcerers

Headmaster: Kazu Yukihara  
_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Trusted Twighitt, International Confederation of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Mikan Sakura,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted  
at Hogwarts Academy for Alice Retaining Sorcerers. Please find  
enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by  
no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress

Mikan looked up with her big orange eyes that were filled with disbelief and ecstatic joy. Narumi straightened up before her and smiled genuinely. "Congratulations Mikan. I formally welcome you to Hogwarts Academy of Alice Retaining Sorcerers!" He clapped his hands together. "Now, we have a busy day ahead of us!" He strode across the small courtyard to the brick wall on the other side. Mikan dazedly followed him, glancing at the letter.

Narumi stared at the brick wall before him, his gaze thoughtful. "Hmm...three up, two across..."

Meanwhile, Mikan reverted back to her letter, rereading it. _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted..._

_I can't believe it- I can be with Hotaru in the same school again! _Mikan was bouncing with joy. She was brought back to reality when a chill whisted in the air. She looked up, and then she stared at Narumi-sensei, who was muttering to himself, his eyes narrowed as if he was trying to remember something.

"Narumi-sensei-"

"Aha! Here it is!" Narumi tapped a brick three times with a stick that was sticking out of his back pocket. The brick he had touched quivered- then it wriggled- a small hole appeared in the middle- it grew wider and wider –and a second later, they were facing a wide archway on a cobblestone street that twisted and turned out of sight.

Mikan's mouth dropped open.

"After you," said Narumi, motioning her forward.

They both walked, or in Mikan's case, stumbled through the archway and onto the cobblestone street. As Mikan looked back, the hole they had come through started to shrink- the bricks filing back into place- and back to its original form as a wall. They started to walk down the street, with Mikan in tow.

Mikan swiveled her head to every direction, trying to see everything at once. The old English architecture was fascinating to Mikan, and the merchandise even fascinated her more. And the people! Some of them were wearing cloaks that billowed around their feet. She looked at kids her age stare into a display case displaying...

A broomstick, of all things.

They were whispering in a foreign language, their eyes staring fervently, noses pressed right up against the glass.

_Why on earth would a broomstick be on a display case? _she wondered.

In another direction, people selling weird stuff that looked like horns and glittering beads in one store. In another, they were selling....._weird shaped birds that had round heads and a round body? _The birds seemed to be the same species of the bird she had just seen delievering her letter.

"Oh right! Mikan, stand still for a moment." Narumi closed his eyes and started to mutter something. In his hand, a yellow orb formed- getting bigger and bigger- and went into Mikan's chest.

"Eh? Sensei, what did you just-"

"-seventeen sickles an ounce-"

"freshly brought in, only 15 knuts a scoop-"

Mikan gasped. "I can understand English!"

Narumi grinned at her. "Well, we can't have you go around speaking Japanese and not understand English in England, no? The spell will allow you to speak, write, and read in English. But it's only temporary."

Mikan beamed. "Arigato sensei!"

"Now, it's a bit crowded so don't let go of my hand!" And they started to weave in and out and through the crowds.

Mikan, now understanding English, was hearing interesting pieces of conversation.

As they passed a plump woman, Mikan heard her muttering, "Dragon liver, 17 sickles an ounce, they're mad..."

_Dragon liver? _Mikan thought, being dragged by her unfazed sensei.

They passed a short man with a long beard, who was in a heated argument with the seller. "What do you mean?! Only last week, they were fourteen sickles!"

The flustered man stammered, wringing his hands."Yes, but salamander tails are getting rarer-"

"You cheating fiend! Despicable scum, cheating your customers-"

Mikan's eyes, if possible, grew rounder for perhaps the fiftieth time today. _Did I just hear salamander tails?_

She was shaken out of her thought when Narumi stopped abruptly, causing her to bump into his back. "Here we are! Gringotts, the only existing bank for sorcerers in Diagon Alley!"

Gringotts was an enormous, snowy-white building that towered over all the other little shops near by. Its burnished bronze doors were open, and besides that was-

"That's a goblin," Narumi said quietly as they walked up the white stone steps to the doors. The goblin, about a head shorter than Mikan, had very long finders and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Mikan bowed her hear back quickly, and she thought the goblin's eyes twinkle in amusement.

They now faced a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn_

_So if you seek beneath our floors _

_A treasure that was never yours, _

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

A pair of goblins bowed then through and Mikan tried to bow back again while following Narumi into the vast marble hall.

"Why are there so many doors?" asked Mikan as they walked towards the counter, filled with hundreds of goblins doing their thing, such as measuring blood red rubies the size of stones on a golden scale. Mikan felt as if she had just walked into a busy jewelry workshop.

Unfortunately, among the bustling and the background noises, Narumi did not hear. Instead, he veered them to an empty place on the busy counter.

"Good morning. We've come to visit the account of Miss Mikan Sakura's safe."

"You have her key, sir?"

"Yep," he said, rummaging through his pockets. He placed a time golden key on top of one of the goblin's books piled on the surface.

"And I have a letter from the Headmaster." Narumi handed a goblin a letter.

The goblin read the letter carefully, then peered at Narumi over his spectacles. "Very well. I will have someone to take you down to both vaults. Macehook!

Macehook, another goblin, started to walk to one of the numerous doors.

"What was in the letter sensei?" asked Mikan curiously.

"Oh, some school business that I have to take care of. Nothing to worry about," he replied, following Macehook to one of the numerous doors leading off the marble hall.

Macehook held the door open, which –as Mikan surprisingly noted –led into a narrow passageway lit with flaming torches held on the wall. The path sloped downwards dangerously, with railway tracks on the route.

Macehook motioned hem into a cart on the tracks.

"Oh, and Mikan, it might do you well if you closed your eyes and don't talk."

"Huh? What do you-"

The cart shot downward, the hurtled into a maze of twisting passages. The cart rattled dangerously, and Mikan clung for her dear life, her mouth still hanging open from her unfinished statement, too shocked to close it. Her eyes were streaming with tears due to the cold air rushing past them. The cart plunged deeper, and at last, it stopped.

Narumi helped a spiral-eyed Mikan out of the cart. She immediately collapsed into a wall with shaking knees and her hand firmly clamped on her mouth.

"Are you alright, Mikan? You look a bit green." Narumi stared at her concernedly.

"Hai...I'm ok..." She shakily replied. _Actually, I think I'm going to be sick if I don't close my mouth soon._

Macehook unlocked the door, and Mikan, whose knees had stopped shaking, peered inside. And gasped. Inside were heaps and mounds of coins –gold, silver, and bronze.

"Umm...sensei?"

"Yes Mikan?" he said as he approached the vault.

"Is...is this-"

"Oh, the school set up an account for you. Now."

Narumi took out a black pouch and started to pile some into the bag. "These are used as money in our world, Mikan. The gold ones are Galleons, the silver Sickles, and the bronze are knuts. Seventeen sickles to a galleon and 29 knuts in a sickle. Ok, I think this will be enough to last quite a while." Mikan just stared dumbly at the mountain of sparkling money as she tried to register the currency.

He turned to Macehook. "Vault Seven hundred and twenty six now please."

"Eto....can we _please_ go a bit slower this time?" she asked.

"One speed only," he answered sternly.

The cart hurtled forward again, going deeper and deeper this time.

They rattled though an underground ravine, twisting here and about.

_This is NOT one speed lower! _thought Mikan frantically trying not to scream.

After an eternity, they finally stopped, and Mikan unfroze and breathed out a shaky sigh of relief.

Vault Two hundred and twenty-six had no keyhole. The goblin stroked the door, and it simply melted away at his touch.

"If anyone else except a Gringotts worker tried that, they would be sucked into the door," said Macehook.

"How often do you check if anyone's inside?" asked Mikan.

"About once every ten years," said Macehook, with a rather nasty grin. Narumi chuckled while Mikan laughed nervously. _Mental note: Goblins are not nice?_

When the door had completely melted away, Mikan leaned forward eagerly, wanting to see what was inside.

Narumi reached in, and grabbed a small, grubby package wrapped in brown paper bounded by a single red sting. He tucked it inside his coat and said, "Now our business is done! We can go now Mikan! Back to the cart!" He wheeled her around and nudged her into the cart.

"Hai," she replied, reminded instantly of the monstrous cart. She was definitely not looking forward to another roller coaster ride.

* * *

Mikan stumbled around, feeling a bit sick and dizzy as they came out of Gringotts.

"Nee, sensei, are all banks of the magic world like this?" asked Mikan. She dreaded the answer.

"Hmm...I'm not sure, I've been only to Gringotts. But isn't the cart ride thrilling? I can't wait for my money to run out..." Mikan sweat dropped.

"Oh Mikan, there's Madame Malkin's shop." Narumi nodded to the store down the street with robes on display. "Why don't I go get all your other stuff while you get your robes? I'm afraid we won't have time to buy everything," he said, gesturing to the setting sun. "Here, I'll take your list."

"Hai..."replied Mikan.

She watched Narumi's blond head disappear among the crowd, and then entered the shop, feeling very nervous.

Madam Malkin turned out to be a friendly witch clothed head to toe in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said when Mikan started to speak. "Got the lot of last minute shoppers here today- in fact, another young man is being fitted up now."

At the back, a pale boy with white blond hair was standing on a stool with another witch pinning up his long black robes.

Madam Malkin stood Mikan a stool next to the boy, slipped a long robe over her head, and began to work.

"Hello," she said to the boy.

The pale boy regarded her sideways. "Hello. Hogwarts too?"

"Yes," Mikan replied, happy that she might make a new friend of her new school.

"Hnnh," said the boy. "Do you play Quidditch?"

"Eto...no?" said Mikan, wandering what on Earth was Qu-ee-deeech was.

"_I _do, and I don't understand why first years aren't allowed to have our own brooms. I think I'll smuggle one in somehow...Know what house you'll be in?"

"Uh...no..."said Mikan, feeling more stupid by the minute, or by the second at the speed the boy was switching topics.

"I suppose no one knows until we are sorted but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all my family have been."

"Oh..." said Mikan, desperately trying to understand what he was talking about. They resolved into silence as Mikan could not come up to restart the awkward conversation.

"Who is that guy?" said the boy suddenly, nodding towards the front window. Narumi was standing there with books, a cauldron, and other bags. He was waving at Mikan.

She brightened and smiled at Narumi. "Oh! That is Narumi sensei. He's a teacher at the school!" said Mikan, pleased that she knew something this boy didn't know.

"Oh," said the boy. "Why's he with you then?"

"He's helping me get my school stuff. I'm a transfer student," she replied.

"Oh, well your parents are a witch and a wizard, aren't they?"

"Uh-"

"That's you done, my dear," said Madam Malkin, taking out the last pins on her robe.

"Oh! Thank you very much," said Mikan, jumping down from the stool, glad she did not have to come up with a reply.

"I suppose I'll see you at Hogwarts," said the boy.

"Um yeah! Bye!" said Mikan, dashing off with her new robes.

* * *

As Mikan licked her orange sherbet on a waffle cone that Narumi bought for her at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, she thought of the previous conversation. She looked at Narumi, who was sitting beside her on the bench. "Sensei, what is Quidditch?" she asked, swinging her legs back and forth.

"Oh, it's a sport in our world. Sorcerers play a game similar to soccer on broomsticks."

"Honto? On brooms?" _So that explains the broomstick on display...It's just like in books! _And what is Slytherin?"

"That's one of the four houses at school. You'll be sorted once you arrive at school –Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

"Oh..."she said, becoming quiet again.

"Mikan? You can always ask me any questions or come to me for help for anything anytime, ok?" said Narumi, looking worriedly at Mikan who was being very unusual-- being quiet.

"Eto...I can meet Hotaru if I go to Hogwarts, right?"

"Of course!" Narumi smiled. "Even if you are not in the same house, you can still have different classes together. You must be really close to her, Mikan."

"Hehe." Mikan's eyes brightened up at the mention of her best friend.

"Now, let's go get your wand!" Narumi stood up. "Every sorcerer needs a wand to begin with!"

"A wand? We use wands? They actually exist?" Mikan's voice was tinged with doubt.

"Of course!" Narumi laughed. "Later, you don't necessarily need one, but you aren't at that level yet. Now, let's pay a visit to Mr. Ollivander –I haven't seen him for ages!"

* * *

It turned out that Mr. Ollivander's shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read _Ollivander's: Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C._

"Narumi sensei?" asked Mikan as she stared at the writing.

"Hmm?" he opened the door and they both walked inside. A tinkling bell was heard somewhere within the depths of the dark store.

"How old is Mr. Ollivander?" she asked, hesitantly.

Narumi turned to face her. And then grinned his charming smile. "More than me and you combined!"

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Mikan jumped with a surprised squeak. Narumi, having experienced this before (and a quick learner) said, "Hello Mr. Ollivander."

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. Mikan shivered.

"H-h-hello," stammered Mikan when the eerie eyes rested upon her. "I'm Sa- Mikan Sakura." She needed to get used to the English way of speaking.

Mr. Ollivander's eyes held no change. His eyes slid to Narumi, who gave a little nod. Then he looked at Mikan again.

Mikan was, to say, a bit scared. Perhaps more than a bit. She wished that Mr. Ollivander's eyes would at least blink once to make his eyes less creepy. To Mikan's relief, he turned towards Narumi.

"So, young Mr. Anjo, still keeping your want in your back pocket? Don't blame me if your behind suddenly bursts into flames. Now, let's get started, shall we? Ms. Sakura, which is your wand arm?"

"Um...well, I'm right handed?" she said unsurely.

"Hold out your arm please." A tape measure zoomed towards them out of the depths of the shop and started to measure her from shoulder to shoulder, shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, knee to armpit, and round her head. Mikan stood frozen to her spot, shocked still. Mr. Ollivander flitted around the shelves, taking down the narrow boxes that were shelved. The tape measure was now wounded around her neck, measuring the circumference of the neck. Mikan, freaking out, looked at Narumi with desperate eyes. Narumi tried to suppress the urge to smile. "Err- Mr. Ollivander? The tape measure-"

"Ah yes, that will do." Mr. Ollivander snapped his fingers, and the tape measure unwounded of her neck and lay in a heap on the floor. She shoved it a few centimenters away from her with her feet, being discreet as possible.

"Now, Ms. Sakura, try this one. Birch and phoenix feather. Seven and a half inches. Nice and springy. Just give it a wave."

Mikan took the wand hesitantly, feeling foolish. However, she barely raised her arm as Mr. Ollivander snatched it out her head almost at once.

"Beachwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Try-"

Mikan tried –but she had hardly raised her arm before the wand was snatched back.

"No, no –here, here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy."

Mikan tried. And tried. And tried more. She did not understand what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. What is there was a mistake, and she wasn't a sorceress? _Then..._

"Now, now. Not to worry- you're just a bit of a tricky customer. We'll find the perfect match somewhere –how about this, cherry and pheonix feather, eight inches. Nice and supple.

Mikan took the wand, and felt a sudden warmth to her fingers. She raised the wand above her head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air. A stream of orange sparks shot out from the end of the wand like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on the gloomy walls. Narumi clapped, and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Bravo! Yes indeed, very good..."

He took the wand back to its box and wrapped it in brown, crinkling paper.

"An interesting person this wand chose, indeed...Did you know that the wand chooses the sorcerer?" He took the box and gave it to Mikan. He looked at her with his pale eyes. "Do you know the phrase 'Avoid black cats' Miss Sakura? I hope you come across to contradict that."

Mikan, not sure what to say, said, "Um...right."

Behind her, Narumi snapped his head up and stared at Mr. Ollivander. The latter glanced at Narumi for a fraction of a second.

Mikan, not noticing at anything, paid seven galleons, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them out of the shop.

* * *

"Sensei? Hello, Narumi-sensei?"

Narumi startled out of his deep thinking when he realized that Mikan's eyes were staring at him with a question.

He snapped out of his reverie and exclaimed, "There is one more place to visit!"

"Ehh? I thought we finished shopping now," said Mikan, struggling to carry all her stuff. "So where are we going?"

Narumi winked. "It's a surprise!"

Five minutes later, Mikan was staring at a sign that said: Eeylops Owl Eporium.

This shop was dark, full of rustling noises. Mikan tried to navigate her way throught the shop, occasionally bumping into cages which gave a _hoot_ everytime.

A loud _hoot _was heard behind her, and she turned around. To face a pair of amber, jewel-bright eyes. Mikan was too surprised to scream -her mouth hung open into a big O shape.

The eyes stared back at Mikan. The latter in turn stared back. The eyes blinked.

"Oh, Mikan! Do you like this owl? _Lumos!_" A flickering green light was produced at the end of Narumi's wand. Mikan, still not used to the concept of music, flinched a bit as the light came in her view. But now she could now see that the owner of the eyes that she had a staring contest with a beautiful, snowy owl. The small owl glared at the source of light as if he was irritated.

_Owls?_ thought Mikan, looking at the feisty owl who apparently decided to have a staring contest with the green light.

Narumi took her silence as a yes. " She's a snowy owl, but she's quite small for her breed. She's beautiful isn't she?"

"Hai," she replied.

"Did you know that owls are the mailing system of wizards and witches? Although we are sorcerers, we sometimes use their system. At least, Hogwarts does. After all, Hogwarts used to be a school for witches and wizards. Isn't that clever?" said Narumi, tapping his finger against the cage. The owl glared back at him.

"Hai," said Mikan, curiously looking at the owl. She had never seen such birds before in her life.

"Do you see the black flecks on her wings?"

"Hai."

"Would you like her as a present?"

"Hai." A moment of silence. "HOE?" Mikan spun around, her pigtails whipping the cage. The owl, very annoyed now, gave a loud screech.

Narumi chuckled, very amused at Mikan's behaviour. "I thought of buying you an owl as a good luck present for the start of your new school!"

Mikan's eyes grew wide. "Arigato gozaimas sensei!"

They exited the shop, with Mikan now holding a cage of her new owl, who was fast asleep with her head tucked under her wing.

The sun was now setting, causing the sky to be brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. The street was empty of people, the only sounds being gusts of wind and Mikan's voice.

As Mikan was chattering happily away, Narumi felt an ominous presence. He whipped his head back. There was nothing that greeted him. He started to walk forward again, joining Mikan's one-way conversation.

He did not notice a masked figure disappear behind one of the closed stalls.

* * *

**End of Chapter Four**

Mikancchi: Ooh onimious ending! XD Please **review** everyone! I need reviews to inspire me! And perhaps give constructive criticism to make my writing better...and give ideas?

Don't forget to visit my profile page and then read all my other stories!

Fuki Enro is desperately needing reviews, due to a bet that I have with my friend, so PLEASE!

**Next chapter:**

Natsume makes his first entrance!

_Hyuuga! Are you Scorpio's second?_

Mikan stared up at the figure holding an eggshell helmet.

_Hotaru? Is that you?_


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